The walk up the hill to the castle, Rocca Borromeo of Angera, is quite long and takes about 25 minutes but well worth the effort, so take it slowly. Bring a hat and water as there is not much shade and it gets very warm. I do believe that you can take a taxi up to the castle from the township if you would rather not walk.

The Rocca Borromeo of Angera is a fortified building located in the town of Angera (Varese), on the southern shores of Lake Maggiore in Lombardy. This is one of the best preserved castles of Lombardy. The ancient castle tower dates back to the 13th century; the view of the lake and the hinterland from here is absolutely charming.

The castle is well-kept, an interesting building with impressive walls and beautiful gardens and magnificent views. If you go on a clear day you can see the Alps across the lake.

La Rocca includes botanical, medievil, vegetable, herb and fruit tree gardens and vineyards which are a pleasure to stroll through.

The castle is perfectly maintained, and therefore unique. Inside the fortress, you can see examples of press medieval plows and troughs. Further inside, the castle houses a doll museum, unique in Italy and among the most prestigious in Europe and well-known by collectors Europe wide. There are not just dolls but also games for boys, table lamps, music boxes, and much more. For the average visitor it is just a nice little add-on to the visit as seeing the exhibition leads you through the whole castle. The old dolls and toys are fascinating – and some were downright weird. You really have to see it to believe it. No matter what your interests are, you will be amazed by this castle and its wonderful museum.

Be sure to go right to the top of the fortress for the best views, climbing up the various ladders from the Hall of Justice where the excellent frescoes are.

Toilet

After we had spent a couple of hours in the castle and the doll museum we visited the gardens. Take some time to wander round the gardens and then enjoy the stroll downhill back to the town. There is a cafe and small shop at the fortress, but there are lots of cafes back at lake level.

Just a short 30 minute boat trip from Stresa is the beautiful Angera. We actually took the hydrofoil which was a little quicker than the ferry. This resort centre is situated at the south end of Lago Maggiore and sits right on the lakefront. There is the ancient castle of the Borromea with a domineering position offering a great view over the whole lake and landscape.

We had planned to spend an hour or so here, stop for a coffee and then continue on the next ferry or hydrofoil to explore other parts of beautiful Lago Maggiore. Well that plan was out the window very quickly as once we stepped foot here we knew that it would be hours before we left.

We headed off on foot to explore. Walking was very easy with so much to see from the Rocco Borremo to Italy’s first museum.

We strolled along the shady waterfront which is speckled with villas and old fishing families’ houses and there are good views across the water to Arona.

Not far from the ferry terminal was a set of shops, cafes and restaurants where we eventually stopped for a lunch of classical local dishes.

Before lunch we did in fact climb the hill to the fort but that is worthy of its own story another time. This is quite a long steep climb and probably not recommended for anyone with walking limitations.

Angera, a delightful township on the foreshores of Lake Maggiore and a lovely place to spend time.

Another great day out for us was an afternoon visit to Santa Caterina del Sasso. The Hermitage of Santa Caterina del Sasso, perched on its “balcony” overlooking the Borromeo Gulf, is one of the most intriguing historical sites on Lake Maggiore

The ferry trip from Stresa to Santa Caterina is only about 15 minutes but on this particular occasion we took the hydrofoil which was only about a 6 minute trip. As with all of the boat trips we had on Lago Maggiore, it was an interesting easy trip with the spectacular scenery along the way.

You can also reach the Hermitage by car, there is plenty of free parking up the top and then there are about 240 steps to walk down to the entrance of the hermitage or you can take the elevator.

We had spotted the hermitage while taking boat trips to other parts of Lago Maggiore and we were fascinated by what we could see from the lake but we sure were not prepared for the actual visit. This 12th Century Hermitage is a very peaceful and inspirational place perched on a rocky ridge. The buildings are all very well-preserved.
The hermitage was founded by the wealthy merchant, Alberto Besozzi in 1170. Whilst he was out in his boat one evening he was caught up in a storm and his boat capsized. He prayed to St Catherine to be saved and that if his prayers were answered, he would give all his money to the poor and retire to live as a hermit. His prayers were answered and so he went to live in a cave as a hermit. In 1195 he built a tiny, isolated church in recognition of his deliverance. The present buildings date from the late 13th – early 14th centuries. The Hermitage comprises three buildings: the southern convent, the small convent, and the church.

In recent years a modern elevator has been installed which allows the elderly or disabled to access the hermitage from the top or up to the road where there is a restaurant. The new lift, which can carry up to 12 people, is a real jewel of engineering. In fact, the space race was achieved by digging a well in the rock 6 feet in diameter, 51 meters deep and well-connected in a horizontal tunnel exit to the areas below 45 meters long which opens onto a panoramic view of Lake Maggiore.

The Hermitage is beautifully restored. You can see some common areas facing the lake, and a part of the church, with very old frescoes. If you are lucky enough you can hear prayers and singing of hymns.

This wine and olive press also has its own story.

Wine and Olive Press

It is beautiful, peaceful and the panorama from the Hermitage to the lake is exceptional.

This is another wonderful excursion for you when staying on Lago Maggiore.

Within about a 10 minute walk from our hotel, La Fontana Hotel in Stresa, is the Stresa- Mottarone Cable car. We headed off on foot just after breakfast to take the 9.30 cable car which departs from the Piazzale Lido Station and goes up the side of Mount Mottrarone. The ride took about 20 minutes each way and gave us a fabulous bird’s-eye view of Lake Maggiore, the Borromean Islands, the Po Valley, and the Alps

Once we reached the station at the top, we then took the chair lift up to the 4,895-foot summit.

The cable car runs every 20 minutes everyday during the summer from 09.30 to 17.40 with an hour break for lunch.

The cable car ride is about 20 minutes followed by a chair lift to the top of the mountain however you can walk from the cable car station at the top to the summit which will take another 15 minutes. If you are fit, you can walk all the way and if you miss the last cable car for the day you will need to walk back down.

The views in June were spectacularly clear with all the lakes visible from that height. Snow was still on the high alps. The towns in the valley are also clearly visible. What a vista!

The cable car has a mid station at Alpino where you can alight and take a mainly flat pleasant walk to visit the Alpine Gardens. Once again, the scenery along the way is gorgeous. The gardens cover an area of approximately 40,000m2 with wonderful panoramic views. The Alpine gardens are well worth a visit They were a welcome break for us.

The Alpine Gardens are 300m from the Alpino mid-way station and are open everyday April to October. Adults costs € 4 and children 4-12 years cost € 3.

After spending a delightful hour or so in the gardens we then found a great little restaurant close to the cable car station and enjoyed some lovely local cooking.

If you love nature, walking and enjoy beautiful views, or you are just looking to relax, take a trip up the mountain in the cable car.

This was another fabulous day out on Lake Maggiore. We took the ferry-boat from Stresa to Verbania/Intra which only took about 35/40 minutes. As always when travelling on Lake Maggiore the scenery was stunning including these beautiful villas along the way.

Verbania is a city and commune on the shore of Lake Maggiore, about 91 km (57 mi) north-west of Milan and about 40 km (25 mi) from Locarno in Switzerland. Verbania is another “garden” on the lake with its many magical gardens and breathtaking landscape.

The little town of Intra, in a beautiful situation on the Borromean Gulf, is part of the municipality of Verbania

This is where the open air markets happen each Saturday. The all-day market is near the ferry dock in Intra, which makes it an easy walk of a few minutes into the markets from the ferry. We learned about these markets at our hotel and by all accounts are very popular, attracting locals, tourists in the area and also visitors from Switzerland. It is a great atmosphere and very entertaining.

I have been to many many open air, street markets, in Italy but this is by far the best I have visited. The list of products one can buy at these markets is endless from top quality, fashionable shoes, clothing, handbags to the very reasonably priced items. Just about everyone’s taste could be satisfied with something for everyone.

The local produce is in abundance including local cheeses, meats, breads, dolce, dried fruits, fresh fruit and vegetables etc. We did not stop for lunch so we munched on some lovely treats while wandering around. We were at these markets for over 3 hours but did not get to see them all as they are so large with many stalls.

This is the best selection of hand-made dolce that I have ever laid my eyes on. How do you choose? I just said, I will have one of this this this this etc and walked away with a nice size bag of assorted dolce and a big smile. I enjoyed these delightful dolce (sweets) over the next few days. Take a look at the size of the loaf of fresh bread that the man is starting to cut.

After we left the markets we took a stroll around this pleasant little town with its cafes and variety of little shops and stopped for coffee in the main piazza.

There is so much to see and do in this lovely area of Verbania. I must return one day.

This was our day to take the boat to 3 of the islands in Lago Maggiore. We were blessed with the perfect weather. Blue blue skies and crystal clear water.

Lake Maggiore is a large lake located on the south side of the Alps. It is the second largest lake in Italy The lake and its shoreline are divided between Piedmont and Lombardy region and the largest lake of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland.

Firstly we cruised out to Isola Madre where we stayed for about 2 hours. We paid to visit the gardens and the palace which were well worth every cent. I have been to many palaces in Italy over the years but I am always impressed by the size of the rooms, the paintings, the frescos, the artwork and the beauty.

Isola Madre is part of the Borromean archipelago and home to an exotic garden of plants, birds and flowers, this magical island is considered a botanical garden on water. These botanical gardens are beautifully designed. Isola Madre is all gardens so you must pay to enter the gardens and the villa.

Isolo Madre is a beautiful island with a XVI Century palace, Borromea, which is surrounded by an enchanting English style garden. You will also see white and standard peacocks everywhere in these gardens. We enjoyed exploring this stunning palace with its unique theatre rooms with old classic marionettes, which are set out on stages with special effects

We stopped for coffee at this lovely outdoor café before hopping back on to the boat and heading over to Isola dei Pescatori.

Isola dei Pescatori (island of the fishermen) was such a lovely surprise to me as I was not expecting it to be just so beautiful. There are lots of restaurants and great shopping. It is the only one to be inhabited all year round. Unlike Isola Bella and Isola Madre, the island no longer belongs to the Borromeo. While the traditional occupation of fishing still exists—local restaurants providing a ready market for the fish—tourism has become central to the economic life of the island as its picturesque charms have made Isola dei Pescatori a popular destination, particularly for day-trippers, but also for more extended visits. In addition to the hotel(s), restaurants and gift-shops, there are boutiques selling craft products.

We stopped for lunch at this lovely restaurant on the lake’s edge.

This lovely old tree on Isola dei Pescatori is a 200-year-old wisteria.

After a couple of wonderful hours on this gorgeous island, one could easily spend much more time here, we hopped back on to a boat and headed for Isola Bella.

Isola Bella is one of the three magical islands on Lake Maggiore and possibly the most popular. Isola Bella charms visitors with its magnificent Baroque palace and terraced gardens that slope to the lake.

The belle epoc palace is one thing but the over-the-top gardens are just stunning. I loved everything about the gardens and have visited a couple of times over the years. The setting, the flowers, the designs and the views come together to make a uniquely beautiful garden

After another couple of amazing hours on this lovely island we hopped back on to the boat and made our way back to Stresa feeling very happy after One Perfect Day.

All three of these islands deserve their own stories which I will do one day.

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